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Will Liverpool defeat force Arsenal to rethink their transfer policy?

Forced To Rethink? by Dan Smith

When asked throughout the summer the dangers of allowing so many players to run down their contracts, Arsene Wenger maintained that any professional gives 100 per cent right down to the last day they are being paid by an employer. It’s idealistic but also naive thinking.

After what he witnessed at Anfield on Sunday, he and his bosses may be under pressure to perhaps review their whole business model. If there is one positive about our 4-0 defeat to Liverpool it might force the powers to be to have a rethink about their entire transfer policy.

That’s how bad this beating was. Normally it would be fickle to base any long-term decisions on the outcome of something as short term as a 90 minute football match. So for this weekend to be the exception to that rule should highlight how desperate this performance was.

Forget the actual result or the loss of three points, it goes deeper then that. Any side can go away from home to one of the top 6 and take a hammering (as fans we got quite use to that in recent seasons). But fans can tell. This wasn’t simply the case of us being overwhelmed by a devastating front three or being outclassed. If it were that simple you would accept it.

This was about players not doing the basic, not giving 100 percent effort, not fighting for the shirt. No matter who you support, that is truly unprofessional and unacceptable.

It’s why I would put this loss ahead of the 8-2 at Old Trafford, the 6-0 at The Bridge, even ahead of the 10-2 aggregate loss to Bayern Munich. All of those were humiliations of course, but there’s a difference between opposition being better then you compared to simply not trying.

To blame it only on those who are free agents in less then a year would be absolving the rest of any blame. But our manager’s reaction at the final whistle may have been of a man who has just realised that this is not going to work.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain didn’t not track back because he wants to leave, but when Liverpool were playing one-twos around him as he walked to chase them, my first inclination was this is a man who has the nerve to demand more then 180 000 pound a week.

Even Sanchez…… His smile sitting on the bench was caught by TV cameras (to be fair at times he had his head down as well). But as good as the man is, if he cares so little at which point is it in our best interest to allow him to get what he wants. This is of course going to be the problem every time we are below par. Body language and facial expressions will be analysed constantly.

Now I’m not suggesting we sell Sanchez or Ozil this week. They are two undoubtedly world class players, so it wold be non-beneficial to sell to an English rival. With their talent they have every right to question if their ambitions can be met in North London, while we are not the only ones in world football right now under threat of losing our star names.

We can keep the Chilean and German and they can help us get back into the top 4. It’s when you have 4 or 5 first team players not wanting to stay for the long term where it becomes an issue. Even if they displayed a better attitude than they demonstrated on Merseyside it’s only natural that any person in any job would be mentally affected if they knew this time next year they will be representing another organisation.

If wanting a transfer now stops the OX doing the basics, would we not be better off selling? If interest from Italy is going to distract Mustafi to the point you feel he needs to be benched, is he not worth selling?

The rumors linking the German with a move to Inter Milan or Juventus actually gave me hope even before this weekend. Having only signed last summer he would not have been one of the most obvious names to sell. The fact we would even think about letting him go surely hints that we would have something up our sleeve before Thursday night?

Surely our Board would not be so arrogant to clearly make our defense weaker and think they could get away with it. Surely they would not have the nerve (having promised change) to actually make a profit in this window. They have already quietly started to recoup the money spent on Lacazette, this despite again informing us that 200 million is sitting there to buy players with.

I think they might very well have done that, using our run to the FA Cup in May as a way to paper over the cracks. Not now…

Now the pressure is on to make sure if you cash in on Mustafi, you bring in a Virgil Van Dijk. That maybe the Ox leaving is not the end of the world if a Lemar or Mahrez comes the other way. That even if you end up playing someone not as talented he would be better simply for caring about the Red and White colours. That’s what Wenger has less then a week to think about…

His whole thought process may have just been turned upside down inside 1 hour and a half…… That’s how bad we were

I agree we should sell them since they obviously don’t wanna play for Arsenal, but the reason they don’t want to do so is Wenger. I’d go for Mahrez as we won’t splash on Lemar, besides Liverpool put a bid for him. Still we need a CDM bad, and to all the people who kept saying we have to manny players, it was apparent we need a new one. And a CB as well with Mustafi wanting to leave.

We just cannot trust in Wenger with transfers anymore. I agree with you rather sell those players and recoup some money in order to start the rebuilding than losing them for nothing. I mean we aren’t even going to win the League this season so I don’t see a point in keeping them, as well as them being unhappy.

By the way it’s not only the transfer policy that needs restructuring, the club organization; the goals and vision; the manager procurement policy; job entailment and job designing; and all functional areas all need restructuring and addressing. There is big problems at the club and the owner and board have been far too quiet.

THE MANAGER NEEDS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BETTER IF KROENKE AND THE BOARD GO AS WELL BUT THE SHORT TERM CHANGE IS WENGER. I 100% BELIEVE A BETTER MANAGER WILL DO FAR BETTER WITH THESE BUNCH OF PLAYERS. THE ISSUE IS WENGER.

– AT THIS POINT IN TIME, NO GOOD PLAYER WITH AMBITION WILL SIGN FOR ARSENAL. WE ARE ON A DOWNWARD SPIRAL WITH ARSENE.

EMPTY STADIUM SEATS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT WILL WORK. PLEASE PREAD THE WORD TO THESE FANS WHO DEPEND ON FOOTBALL AS LIFE SUPPORT. IF YOU STAY AWAY FOR SOME GAMES TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE, THE HEAVENS WILL NOT FALL!!!!!!11

Dan, mate. Empathize with you as my gooner brother but nothing’s going to change. The board and wenger are arrogant as the history tells us. I hope we don’t do panic buys else we will add more dead wood.
Waiting for better times…

I know Sue it is going to be a long wait but I think I can hang In there with fellow gooners. Don’t have any other option. Will start voicing discontent on arsenal Facebook page as well in case it makes a difference.

AB I’m just as gutted as you are! I can deal with them losing, it’s the manner in which they lose is the problem. None of them seem to care, they know their millions are still coming in & they’ll always be picked to play the next week even though they’ve been shocking & embarrassing. I had high hopes for this season when Lacazette & Kolasinac were signed….more fool me!!

Will Liverpool defeat force Arsenal to rethink their transfer policy?
Too late now isn’t it?
And besides he will either play them out of position or not play them at all.
Yesterday was the lowest point of many many low points in recent years. I wish he would do the right thing and walk away..

I don’t feel anything is going to change, and the international break makes for a handy “clean start” opportunity. I wish it weren’t so, and I’d LOVE to be proved wrong. But the past tells us something different.

Besides, who’s to say that Gadzidis isn’t duplicitous? He shouts “war chest!” to keep the fans coming back for tickets, but maybe he says something different to Wenger, allowing him x-amount for summer signings but no more. We know they’re a bunch of penny pinchers.

Arsenal may trim the squad down and lose some big names this window but it’ll take a BIG influx to change the overall culture and attitude on the pitch – including management style (or manager himself).

There’s no way Diego Simeone, or someone of that ilk, would have tolerated that sh*t show yesterday. He’d have damn near skinned them alive, whereas they were messing around on social media yesterday very soon after the match.

But then if we had a coach/manager like that, half of that team wouldn’t have even been selected and would probably not even be at the club, given his reputation for finding bargains who perform.

Ex-Arsenal players themselves describe how Wenger behaves after a big defeat. Martin Keown said he’d usually say something philosophical and that would be that. That’s a culture that has become well known amongst the new generation of players I dare say. And to cap it off, there’s not even a strong captain who’ll go nuts at them.

As I say, it’ll take a big influx of players with a big attitude and enough professional pride to rough up the guys in the changing rooms who are too comfortable after performances like that (think a £250M+ overhaul). Wenger doesn’t sign those players anymore, and the penny pinching board are content with Wenger.

Did you hear what Wrighty said after the game about how Wenger would talk to the players after the game? This is the problem – it’s time for the hairdryer treatment. I still believe we have the players, but I’m also convinced that with Wenger there we can expect no better. Was there a performance clause in his contract extension? Hahahahaha…..

That’s the one big problem with a lot of fans including Wenger, they just throw players on the field hoping they will come right and sort themselves out. Without proper guidance and effective strategy you will always find yourself struggling no matter what player you put on. Plus to be fair it was Alexis first game since coming back and he probably isn’t completely match fit. Throwing someone in the deep end and expecting him to perform is the wrong way to manage players and certainly the wrong strategy. Why could Wenger not put Lacazette and Kolasinac on to complement Alexis but instead he had to work with an ineffective Welbeck to lead a futile cause?

First things first , no players are probably coming in , OX and Alexis should be sold immediately , I don’t know about Ozil and Mustafi but i suppose they are going to be sold too and unfortunately we are stuck with wenger and kroenke for now , so we should find a way to get out of the crisis that we are in because there is ACTUALLY a chance of relegation but i don’t want to even think about that.

Giroud and Laca should play together as 2 front strikers , it has been obvious from the first and third game that they have a certain chemistry together , they can be a lethal front 2.
Welbeck should never play striker ever again , he should be an attacking midfielder , his athleticism is perfect for that role , i watched Jack Wilshere in both of the U-23 games , he was brilliant and he was everything that i wish Xhaka was , also every time Coquelin has came to pitch he has been good so he should have a place in the starting line up.

Ramsey is NOT a CM , he is an attacking midfielder based on his skills .
In the game against Sevilla Chambers played really good , it was short but he was MUCH better than Rob Holding so he should take Rob holding’s place as CB.
So based on those i think our starting line up should be a diamond 4-4-2. This :

Looking at upcoming fixture til 1àth one, meaning 7 next; we will be on or bellow 15th position. i know im getting a bunch of negative reactions as when i said we be beat up bad by Liverpool fast pace & passing football. And we did, they played lmid week too…See few draws, lost and maybe a win against Brighton, one more if lucky. Every team buys, look at a damn Stoke! Our manager is depressing as our football and players are depressed…Man can’t even put a team together. OX is a left back now and Bellerin higher postion…Is this for rea? Wenger needs to go before total humiliation…He was great for us but past decade, forget it…He’s a great buisness manager working for the board not our team as board…We moved to such stadium to be mediocre?

Nothing will change. Fans are the only people who care about Arsenal. Players dont give a stuff, Wenger is deluded, and board and owner are a bunch of sheep. You’d think dropping out of UCL would make this club change

yesterdays’ display was disgraceful from the players,but who picked the team and the tactics(or lack of them).Another disgraceful performance came from Wenger and Bould, they just sat there like waxworks dummies they are clueless and both of them should be ashamed for that poor show yesterday.perhaps the biggest disgraceful act was that of the board was to offer Wenger another 2 year contract.

He said Welbeck Sanchez and Ozil played well end of last season… when we came 5th ? Shocking!
And our two new players still ‘ need to adapt’.. what crap ! Why buy them if they cant play all the matches from first game especially if they had a full pre season.

I hope the selection was just to give Sanchez Ox and Ozil a last chance to show theyre professional and we saw the answer !!
Apparently Ox now sold and good riddance to an ungrateful player who has done nothing over 6 years ! I thinl sell Sanchez overseas to whoever… buy Mahrez / Lemar and VVD and Seri.. full clear out… no one is safe in their position anymore… maybe then they will play for the team !

Nope. Not at all
Two of Wenger’s many faults are not learning from your mistakes and being stubborn

Also, in the past we lost to United 8-2, 5-1 to bayern, 6-1 to Liverpool, 5-1 to Spurs, 6-0 to Chelsea and Wenger hardly ever changes anything.

He may just do a knee jerk signing on the last day like Ozil, Welbeck.

If Wenger had any sense he would have signed the players we needed ie Top box2box CM, defensive midfielder, CD, forward and done most of his signings before August. But now it looks like he will just sell a couple of players and maybe sign another average player

The reality is already here, Arsenal Football Club has fallen from grace and we will not win the League this season. What we need to do now is steady the ship and stop it from sinking further. We don’t want more unnecessary collateral damage. Rather get rid of the players and people we don’t need at the club and start the rebuilding. But for that to happen the fans need to pressure those men accountable. Get your voice heard on social media or through mainstream channels, have the tv and pundits be our voice. I’m patiently waiting for the next crowd funding to begin.

Aim to sell Welbeck and Theo, let Nelson take their place in AM and see if he handles the step up in the EPL, he won’t be the main man but game time could give him the right exposure and we could have a real star ready to fight for the club.

Alexis and Ozil… I would love to see AFC make an example out of Alexis but at this point he is just causing harm at the club, sell him before his arrogance effects the new lads. Sell Ozil if he doesn’t sign, maybe both of these sales in Jan when we can reinvest that money into Griezmann. If they are not cup tied in Europe then that can add to them being wanted and value increase a bit.

I honestly think arsenals problem are spiritual, because some of the things they do seems to be intentional , like they just want to hurt the fans..
Ripping them off with ridiculous ticket prices is not enough..

This transfer policy should have been rethinked a long time ago. How is Wenger still in 2017 after years and years of showing an inability to address the club shortcomings in every area on and off the pitch still be allowed to oversee fully the transfer window and run proceedings? BAFFLING!!!!!
Case in points:
1) How many times have we heard Wenger saying that we were on this guy or we were on that guy? Ultimately to see that player moving to another club and become a world beater? How many targets have we missed over the years because of our outdated manager and system?

2) We were offered Kante last season yet he decided against it. We could’ve moved for Van Djik back at Celtics yet we went in for Chambers. We failed to make a concrete bid for Suarez and he moved to Barcelona winning the treble.

3) We failed to complete an offer for Higuain when he was offered to us from Madrid back than. He moved to Napoli, became one of the world’s best and got sold at the time for a record bid to Juve helping them reach the UCL final and winning major trophies last year.

4) All that seemingly to show people that he is right with his ideal of approaching the market and dealing with the soaring price tags. He looks like a dinosaur who doesn’t wan to comply with it to show that his ideals and the players he showed faith in will come good? Even clubs like Everton & West Ham now spend the damn money. They have spent more than us so far & we are the bigger club. The one with far more commercial deals, bigger pie of the TV deals as well the biggest match day revenue & equity. Let’s not forget we used to have 3 billionaires sitting at our board one of which is at Everton now.

5) How many chances do you have to give Walcott, Gibbs and others to move them on? How many times do you have to reward mediocrity and unproven championship pedigree by showing trust and improve terms on there previous contracts? Now, we have the hardest time in the world of moving the deadwood? Because clubs understand more there actual value and risks!! It seems everybody excepts you find unacceptable to have Walcott on 140K/W or Ox on 180K/W or key players running down there contracts with 1Y left.

6) Ultimately playing so many players out of positions and sitting a record signing. A natural left player in Kolasinac voted best LWB of the season on the bench. Taking the confidence out of those players both playing and on the bench. Iwobi & Reiss Nelson not even given a try? Not properly addressing the needs, virtually going into the season with the same squad, one that finished 5th 18 pts off 1st, got battered and humiliated in the champions league. No wonder nobody wants to extend and now who will want to sign for a club in apparent decline?????!!!!!

Arsenal fans are really stupid and gullible. The main issue is not the transfer issue (transfer policy is just a little part of our problems). The main problem iin arsenal is WENGER. Change hom and bring in a more ambitious coach and the rest will be sorted
Most fans our spending with Liverpool, chelsea and spurs four the past four years. That is why WENGER and the board always deceive our gullible fans with one or two singnings making them to think it will solve our problems, that is a fat no.
Give WENGER real Madrid and he will still come fourth in la liga.

Arsenal fans are really stupid and gullible. The main issue is not the transfer issue (transfer policy is just a little part of our problems). The main problem iin arsenal is WENGER. Change him and bring in a more ambitious coach and the rest will be sorted.
Compare our spending with Liverpool, chelsea and spurs for the past four years. That is why WENGER and the board always deceive our gullible fans with one or two singnings making them to think it will solve our problems, that is a FaT NO.
Give WENGER Real Madrid and he will still come fourth in la liga

Of that 25 u list I would keep about 6 of them the rest are deadwood or average at best stuck on high salaries with no improvement for the last 4 years..

We need a keeper cech is past it and ospina is average.. SIGN BUTLAND

Out of everyone u listed in defence I would only keep kos and kolasinac.. per is retiring chambers is average holding is young and needs to be loaned out.. looks like mustafi is going.. monreal is squad player at best and bellerin needs to beef up and learn how to tackle.. debuchy is deadwood and Joel Campbell is a LF or CF not a LB..
SIGN MANOLAS AND VVD

midfield is our biggest weakness by a mile.. elneny coquelin Wilshire are no where near championship winner standards.. Ramsey thinks he is a striker that starts in midfield and never tracks back.. I have been saying for years Ramsey is average at best plus he is injury prone.. xhaka oh my days where to start with this Muppet.. slows down the play at every opportunity.. passing is terrible.. positional awareness is terrible.. tackling is terrible.. temper issues.. and we paid 35mil for him?? What a waste

SIGN NZONZI AND FABINHO

attackers we no ox is leaving if city offer 70mil for Sanchez take it!!! Sell ozil guy is useless can’t give a simple pass half the time.. can’t tackle.. is lightweight and never defends.. plus he plays 90 mins every game why does Wenger never sub him? Giroud good sub.. Walcott and Perez both need to be sold

SIGN REUS DRAXLER OR LEMAR

We are dreaming tho.. no-one will want to come to arsenal we have no ambition.. we have a stale board and manager who are so behind with the way football has evolved it is quite frankly embarrassing

to be honest tho nothing will happen.. trust me when I say the only way it will change is empty stadium.. forget banners.. planes flying over with stupid messages.. social media batterings.. the only way it will change will be empty seats but when ppl are paying over 1500pound for a season ticket why would u not wanna go? I understand this but an empty stadium is the only way.. so I’m calling out to all fans who attend games DON’T!! It will only need to be for a month or 2.. capacity of emirates is 60 odd thousand we allocate between 7 and 15 thousand for away fans so we need to drop our end down to less than 10 thousand it won’t go un noticed..

I PROMISE ALL U DIE HARD GOONERS OUT THERE BOYCOTTING HOME GAMES IS THE ONLY WAY.. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.. PPL WANT WENGER AND BOARD OUT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN HURT THEM IS IN THEIR POCKETS.. EMPTY STADIUMS MEANS EMPTY POCKETS..

3 GAMES IN TO A NEW SEASON AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT’S COMING F-ALL!! MID TABLE FINISH IS WHERE I SEE US THIS SEASON AND I DREDD TO THINK WOT SCORE UTD CITY SPURS ARE GONNA HAMMER US THIS SEASON

Agree with most of what you have said, except regarding Lucas Perez; he would still honour his contract if given the opportunity to play. Based on previous performances when played he is still an Sset worth keeping.

out transfer policy in recent years is insane. not buying a single outfield player 2 years ago, when we could get khdeira for free, VVD, Draxler and Kante for cheap. last year wenger brought xhaka, OK you can have flops if you try… but then didn’t intend to strengthen the defense until mert got injured so he panic buy mustafi. not getting a striker and panic buy lucas. insane stuff.
this year started good, but our squad needs such a big overhaul that laca and kola are not enough, we need a least 4 top aggressive, commanding players to play defense and central midfield, but wenger has no intention of doing that.
they tell fans the goal is to win all the trophies. but when you have such obvious deficiencies in the squad that you don’t attend to, when there are good players available and you have the money, means either you are mad or you are lying to the fans. either way, the board and wenger must go, or we’ll have two more years of this bullshit of having all that it takes to be a top team, but choosing to be a 4 place team.

EVERYONE knew Ox was leaving – so WTF would any Manager start him in the last game? Just that alone tells me Wenger is a complete effing mental case!! I mean, think about, he allows him to play his last game in an Arsenal shirt while the new players we just signed, SIT on the bench! How mental is that?? CRAZY!!!!!!

i have a strange filling that conte will fix what is wrong ith Ox’s game, and make him a top player. wenger can’t do that nowadays because he doesn’t know what it takes to make a top player at the top level anymore.

This club is crisis, it’s falling apart at the seams, players don’t want be there and a management that have forgotten that it’s not just a business they’re running but a football club as well. The manager has certainly lost the dressing room. God it’s a mess. I don’t know where it will end. Things ‘aint’ good.

What on earth was Wenger thinking playing Ox Yesterday??? He clearly did not give a sh*t about yesterday’s game.

Any AKB’s please explain this one!!!

Maybe had we played Bellerin in his actual position and used Kolasinac in the LWB role things might have turned out a bit differently. He was only the the best LWB in the bundesliga last season so you know. Makes perfect sense when you leave him on the bench for a massive game.

Arsenal have well and truly made me lose my sh*t now.

We were told by Arsene that the Lemar deal is dead,
Well Liverpool don’t think he’s unsellable becuase they’ve bid £55.5 million for him, looks as though they will get him as well as Keita!! Wow Liverpool are going to be strong contenders this season from here on.

It’s not just a matter of us bringing in players now to patch things up, there’s something very wrong with this club.

they tell fans the goal is to win all the trophies. but when you have such obvious deficiencies in the squad that you don’t attend to, when there are good players available and you have the money, means either you are mad or you are lying to the fans. either way, the board and wenger must go, or we’ll have two more years of this bullshit of having all that it takes to be a top team, but choosing to be a 4 place team.

Still no movement in the transfer market from Wenger huh? I honestly think Wenger has lost the dressing room. I urge all here to go read Wenger’s reason for not playing Laca yesterday. Liverpool’s Salah is proof he talking out his Arsenhole. The man has surely lost his marbles.

Like any fan I’d love to see new faces join the club- gives us hope for better times.

But I know the biggest problem isn’t the players-

We have a great team of players, but Wenger has failed to get them working together this season.

I get we only 3 games in, but deteriating every game. And this time we had all our players available – so had no excuses. Either Wenger plans were a disaster, or the players ignored his instructions totally. Either way it’s a disaster. If the later – maybe that can be corrected – but I fear he may have ‘lost the dressing room’.

I try really hard to look for the positives –

I pray that Wenger decided to be Brave with a new line up and shape – and it backfired spectacularly. I can accept if that happened – but if so – Wenger should state as much.

Should say – I tried something different, it didn’t work. After half time we changed the shape and played well – then 1 poor mistake and we were 3 down, and lost our belief and ability and time to get back into the game.

That I can accept! It’s a painful experiment gone wrong.

But instead – it seems worse. The boss implied the players just didn’t do what was told of them.

As the boss it’s your job to get them working. Scream at them from the sideline- throw cans at them in the dressing room, sell them onto another club if needed –

Wenger can’t do nothing to get the team back on track. Even after just 3 games, it’s too late. What is the purpose to buy someone and play him out of position and with no tactical instructions. He won’t be remembered as a manager who was commited to this club and loved it as he declares he is. He will be hated the rest of his life.

There will be no change of transfer Policy because WENGER can’t see anything wrong at Arsenal.
This is how bad it got Wenger will dig his heels in and put 2 fingers up to the Fans. Because he thinks he knows what is best for the Club. So don’t expect any new Transfers in to the club a few out ok. WENGER OUT.

IMO Arsenal will never progress until we have an owner who is interested in winning football games. Arsene Wenger with his ridiculous team selection and his delusion is still culpable, but the fact that he was given a two-year extension despite all his flaws is a clear indication that the owner is perfectly happy with his performance. Here in the states Kronke owns sport teams like the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rapids and the Los Angeles Rams all teams that are mediocre at best. This shows that the man is only interested in making money and does not prioritize winning. I hate to be a pessimist but the slide AFC is currently on is only going to get worst especially if Ozil, Sanchez and Ox walk away for free next year. Can anyone see Kronke spending the requisite money to have these replaced? I think we all know the answer.